Drakes Bay Oyster Company: Castles Made of Sand

"Castles made of sand ..."

 



Shellfish growers from the East Coast Shellfish Growers Association and Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association lobbying groups are upset about Secretary Salazar's decision to allow a lease for a commercial shellfish farm in the Point Reyes wilderness area to expire. They claim "accepted environmental science" shows commercial shellfish farms, as operated today, benefit the environment and they are "going to sue." More importantly, they are at the same time lobbying for Governor Gregoire to replace Secretary Salazar. Unlike the Governor, Secretary Salazar placed the definition of "Wilderness" above the commercial needs of the shellfish industry.

Look a Little Deeper



Why are they bringing "forces to bear?" It is not over concern of the Lunny family who purchased the farm, knowing its lease was set to expire in 2012. The Lunny family is very well off and will continue to be well off from the profits made while operating the shellfish farm and from their upland dairy/cattle farm operated nearby. Nor are they concerned about their employees. Workers will be displaced, but if we are to believe Taylor Shellfish and the PCSGA, their skills are in high demand and will be easily absorbed by the shellfish industry. They lobbied in Washington D.C. this February for immigration reform, distributing an "issues paper" stating: "In a healthy economy, the domestic workforce does not provide sufficient numbers of qualified workers for the shellfish industry."

Why are they so upset they are going to spend the money to sue? It is because they are worried the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), which clearly shows adverse impacts from current methods used in commercial shellfish farming, establishes a precedent which will be used to regulate the industry and constrict the growth and tideland development they have lobbied so hard for.

Existing and Proposed Geoduck Farms in Henderson Inlet

From a November 26 permit hearing, courtesy of Sierra Club

Commercial shellfish farms, as operated today, are transforming the aquatic habitat of all areas they operate in, and even those far from where they are located. Gone are the days when Justin Taylor, as a boy, used to spread shell on the tidelands for oyster clusters grow on, to be harvested three years later. Now, genetically modified non-native Pacific oysters are "hatched" in a waterside factory and placed into growout bags, smothering and scouring the tidelands they are placed on. Other growers tie "oyster cages" together with floats which rise off of and fall back onto the tidelands with each cycle of the tides, scouring the sediments. A natural habitat is completely altered.

Grow Out Bags

Shellfish growers justify this by saying bags create "structure" and oysters provide "filtering". Were oysters left in place, and natural reefs allowed to develop as they had in the past, this may have merit. But they are not. Every two years, or sooner, this "structure" and any filtering provided are removed, leaving in its place scoured tidelands, soon covered by new growout bags and oysters hatched from as far away as Hawaii. This is not "wilderness" nor is it even natural. Nor is it the only impact from commercial shellfish operations which is occurring.

 

Penn Cove Processing Barge

In addition to the adverse tideland impacts the shellfish industry is so concerned about are the in water facilities which exist. Totten Inlet and Penn Cove are two areas where large mussel farms are operated. In Penn Cove, an in-water processing facility is used to clean and process mussels harvested from the near 50 rafts located in Penn Cove.

A recent permit for 58 mussel rafts in Thurston County was denied due to the EIS not adequately considering cumulative impacts. Among other things, dissolved oxygen levels below the rafts were significantly decreased. Shells dropping off from mussel die-off smothered the sediments below the rafts. Deposition of feces and pseudo-feces concentrated nutrients below the rafts. Spreading of non-native Gallo mussels into habitat of native mussels was occurring. All were issues not adequately addressed in the EIS and, in part, why the Hearing Examiner denied the permit.

CO2 and Ocean Acidification

Most recently, the Blue Ribbon Panel on Ocean Acidification described how CO2 is lowering the pH level in ocean waters and lessening the molecules necessary for calcification, resulting in hatcheries being unable to produce adequate amounts of seed. It also results in native species having fewer molecules to use for calcifying. The recommendation? Expand shellfish farming. The problem? The increase in densities of shellfish grown will use up even more of the diminished supply of molecules necessary for life by native species.

Their recommendation on limiting the primary source of CO2 exported to China, coal? "We are silent on that issue." Involvement of the farming/dairy/cattle industries on recommendations? Nothing because, as Bill Dewey reported to the PCSGA in January: "Ocean Acidification – Sustainable Fisheries Partnership will help identify participants for the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Panel." (January 2012 minutes of PCSGA meeting.) It seems Mr. Warren forgot to include them when he helped create the panel, even knowing they would be one of the primary targets of recommended actions.

Castles built of sand slip into the sea. The shellfish industry is finding their own "scientific" foundation slipping into the sea.

Get involved. Let President Obama and your congressional representatives know Governor Gregoire is not the best choice to replace Secretary Salazar, should he decide to leave.
http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml

Derelict Vessel Deep Sea Back in Seattle

The derelict vessel Deep Sea which sank in Penn Cove last month was towed back to Seattle where its journey began (see KIRO TV raw video of its being towed here).  Ironically, it was sold by the Port of Seattle to a private party who towed it to Penn Cove in January. After mysteriously catching fire in May it sank, discharging over 1,500 gallons of diesel fuel into Penn Cove, with an additional 3,500 gallons off-loaded while it was submerged. Harvesting at Penn Cove Mussels' mussel farm was halted with portions of the farm still closed due to contamination by fuel. [Update:  Penn Cove Mussels has been cleared to harvest mussels again.]

Deep Sea Approaching the Ballard Locks

(photo by pmkmbooth5, from KOMO)

The Deep Sea was inspected yesterday by the King County Fire Investigation Unit which is trying to determine if arson was the cause of the fire which caused the derelict vessel to sink in Penn Cove last month (see KING TV article here).  The vessel was without power and unoccupied, making the fire suspicious.

Deep Sea at Stabbert Maritime Yacht and Ship Dry Dock

Where it will be Dismantled after Inspection

(photo from KING TV)

This is the ship's final port where it will be dismantled and sold for scrap, leaving in its wake questions about how legislation could leave agencies so powerless to act on regulations so clearly written. As a result, to date over $1.5 million of taxpayer dollars has been spent and Penn Cove's shellfish harvesting was brought to a halt.

140' Derelict Vessel "Deep Sea" Refloated in Penn Cove

Like a Phoenix rising, the 140' derelict vessel "Deep Sea" which sank last month in Penn Cove has been brought back to the surface of Puget Sound. As seen in the picture below, the DB General (left) provided the primary lifting, with the cradle suspending the stern and middle. The smaller DB Oakland (right) provided assistance at the bow.  It is scheduled to be towed back to Seattle where it came from this week.

Deep Sea Suspended by Lifting Cranes

Still Discharging Oil

(photo from Department of Ecology)

(click here for additional photos)

Clearly seen in the picture above, oil continues to be discharged into Penn Cove.  Today (Monday)  winds are forecast from the north-northwest with gusts up to 12mhp, putting the mussel farm operated by Penn Cove Mussels at continued risk of contamination.  Tonight and tomorrow the winds are forecast to be from the southwest, pushing the oil away from the farm. (Click here to see a picture looking to the northwest from the shoreline.) The Department of Health will test the mussels in a laboratory and by "taste testing" to determine if harvesting may be resumed.

To date near 5,000 gallons of oil has leaked or been pumped from from the vessel.  Declared a derelict vessel last year, the Port of Seattle became the lead agency responsible for its disposal after it took ownership. After an unsuccessful auction it was advertised on Craigslist and purchased for $2,500 by Rory Westmoreland, a scrap dealer from the Maple Valley area (read a Seattle Times article on Mr. Westmoreland here).  Mr. Westmoreland towed it to Penn Cove where the Coast Guard, in January, reported there to be perhaps 50 to 100 gallons of oil on board with minimal risk of its sinking (read KUOW article on the January 2012 Coast Guard inspection here).  DNR attempted to have Mr. Westmoreland remove the vessel, but with little ability to enforce current regulations, it sat until it mysteriously caught fire. After it caught fire, PVC through-hull fittings apparently melted allowing water into the vessel and its subsequent sinking, after which it was discovered there was far more oil on board.

It's hoped this environmental disaster will not be viewed as a "one time event" with nothing done to improve oversight and disposal of derelict vessels in Puget Sound. Waiting to take possession of the Deep Sea, as seen in this video, should make everyone realize there is a better way.  On a larger scale, regulations with no ability to enforce them mean little, as Mr. Westmoreland has apparently learned. 

DNR Finally Taking Possession of Deep Sea